Can't Turn Back
by Sera
Summary: **Complete Story** Ax goes to school with the Animorphs... and things get way, waaaay out of hand. The much-requested sequel for this is coming soon.
1. Prologue

Can't Turn Back by Sera  
  
A/N: This story is set sometime in the future, but I'm on book 45 so anything which is about to happen, such as Visser Three getting promoted, hasn't happened yet. I guess you could say it's sort of an alternate universe, for something will happen which I'm sure will never happen in any of the books. Onwards!  
  
Prologue  
  
(Ax's POV)  
  
I was in a room, all alone. Alone? No, there was something in a corner, something large and awe-inspiring. I took a step closer, and realised that I was in human morph. Strange, I pondered. What is the meaning of this dream?  
  
Another step. And another. Each bringing me closer to the shape erect at the other end of the room. It's top rotated... an enormous red eye blinked at me, assessing, calculating. A voice spoke in my head; not thought-speak, not even a speech familiar to that of the Leerans or the Ellimist. Feelings, raw emotions were being channeled into me, pumping me fit to burst with one of the purest and most destructive traits in the known galaxy and beyond.   
  
Hatred. Blood-lust. Rage. Fury. All these poured into my soul, brimming within me like a waterfall, until I felt that I could stand it no longer. Still the eye held me in its malevolent gaze. I screamed. I screamed until the walls of the chamber I was in reverberated with the sound; I screamed until the fabric of the earth itself seemed to buckle under my unsteady legs. I screamed until I could do so no more, until the unfiltered power contained in me sought to burst forth and to contaminate the world. I fell to my knees on the frosted, unyielding floor of the plane. I wept.  



	2. Interlude

Chapter One ~ Interlude  
  
Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill woke with a start. He bolted upright, surging to his feet in one fluid motion, leaping up and out of the scoop in which he was sheltered. Above him, perched in a branch of the elm tree which shaded him during the day, a red-tailed hawk stirred.  
  
What's up, Ax-man? The thought-speak voice of Tobias floated down to Ax. Why are you pounding around in the middle of the night?  
  
I am sorry if I woke you, Tobias, and I apologise Ax replied, instantly contrite. I... just thought I heard something, that was all  
  
Tobias sighed. You sure? It was nothing? You didn't, for example, have a nightmare? The snide overtures of the question were not lost on Ax.  
  
I am old enough not to be frightened by mere dreams, Tobias... he was about to snap back, but for some reason stopped himself. Instead, he smiled up at his 'nephew'. I am fine was all he said. Go to sleep, Tobias  
  
G'night, Ax-man was punctuated by a mental yawn.  
  
Aximili settled himself back down in the scoop, intending to sleep, but the aftereffects of the dream - he felt he should remember something - weighed heavily on him. He was lost in thought, contemplating the parts of the dream which he could remember, wondering what it all meant - or if it was something more than a childish nightmare. There was something missing... something vital...  
  
The first rays of dawn had already crept their stealthy path above the horizon before Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill released his fears, and slept.  



	3. A Plan And A Vote

Chapter Two ~ A Plan And A Vote  
  
That afternoon, a meeting was arranged at the barn. Saturday afternoon. Homework done, excuses prepared, alibis primed. The usual - trickery, lies and deception. Ax stirred restlessly, shadowed by the uneven light filtering through the rafters of the barn. Rachel and Marco lounged on opposite sides of a hay bale, Cassie fussing over a mallard with a broken wing. Tobias, scouting for signs of Jake, called down from his position in the sky.  
  
Here he comes - in all his leaderlike glory, fashionably late, on his rusty squeaking bike that technically belongs to Tom  
  
Jake pushed open the wide doors of the barn and wheeled his bike in. "You lot come up with any ideas yet?" he asked, by way of greeting. Marco grinned sardonically (which is really the only way he is capable of grinning) (Damn! I wasn't going to put the sarcastic smart-ass brackets in this story) (Too late) and offered, "Absolutely. We hide under our respective beds and whimper, let Visser Three achieve the position of Emperor, and take over the universe."  
  
Rachel jumped up, animate. "While Marco's embarking on his regular journey of wimping out, let's recap. As we all know already, (yes, I know, they know the background history already, so why is she saying it? For the benefit of the reader - that's you - of course) Visser Three, through Chapman, has a sneaking suspicion that we are not Andalite bandits. Of course we cannot allow him to discover the truth. Chapman thinks that Ax is an Andalite in morph. So himself - and Visser Three - are on hand for the next time that Ax comes to school. Which is when?"   
  
Cassie raised her hand like she was in school. "Monday."  
  
"Right," nodded Rachel enthusiastically. "Monday. And Ax can't back out or they'll suspect. And if he does even one thing - one ditty little thing - out of the ordinary, they'll take him. And they'll know." She glared at Ax like it was all his fault (which it was, in a sense)  
  
Marco, his sense of paranoia by now honed to a laser-sharp intensity, interjected, "But wouldn't they take him anyway?"  
  
Ax snapped, Kindly refrain from talking about me as if I am not here  
  
He was ignored. Tobias reasoned, They think he's street trash. A waste of a Yeerk. He's safe as long as he plays the part  
  
There was a pregnant pause. Ax spoke (sort of) into the silence. I have a possible solution. I could attempt to learn human 'street trash' habits, to apply them in school on Monday. You could teach me. I would also have to spend the day largely away from you, so that we shall not be connected  
  
Marco stared. Cassie stared. Rachel stared. Even Tobias stared with fierce, jewel-bright hawk eyes. Only Jake remained impassive; his normally mask-like face suddenly rippling with concealed emotions. Rachel noticed this, and with only an abrupt motion of Jake's hand as a warning, they rose and walked out. The door closed behind them, cutting off Marco's astounded, "You're insane" but not managing to stop Ax's cool, I am indeed. Thank you very much, Marco (He was being sarcastic. I think)  
  
Jake turned to Rachel. "I don't like this at all." he stated flatly, emphasizing the last two words. "Ax?! Loose at school with Chapman and Visser Three on the prowl?! Without us to watch over him?! Even you wouldn't consent to something as crazy as that, would you Rachel?!"  
  
"Sure I would," found it's way out of Rachel's mouth. Then, off her cousin's look, "Of course not!"  
  
Jake perused on, the words seeming to be more for himself than Rachel. "If Ax screws up - we'll all be found out. The only other way is to somehow silence him if he is taken."  
  
Rachel gasped. "You wouldn't do that, Jake. You couldn't. not to Ax…" her voice trailed off.  
  
Jake muttered, "Why not? It's what Ax would want. You've heard him countless times. He'd rather die than become a Controller. Taking one's own life… that's the worst form of self-damnation. Mercy killing - at least that's dying with honour."  
  
Rachel slapped him.  
  
Jake swayed on the spot. "What was that for?" he snarled.  
  
Rachel stood her ground. "You're too wound up, Jake. You're not thinking with your heart. Look me in the eye and tell me, that if Ax was captured, could you kill him?"  
  
Jake looked away. Then back to meet Rachel's cool blue ones. "Where there's life there's hope," he whispered. "Cassie told me that once."  
  
Rachel smiled grimly. "And damn right she was too. Come on. Let's go back inside."  
  
They re-entered the barn to find everyone sitting solemnly on the bales, looking like they were at a funeral. "A vote," said Jake hoarsely. "Ax, you can't vote. Who wants to go for teaching Ax the human ways? It'll need the rest of today and all of tomorrow, and it won't be pretty. Well? You have five minutes to put a piece of hay in the trough in the corner. Then I'll count them."  
  
The final count of pieces of hay in the trough was six. "Ax, I said you couldn't vote on this one," Jake scowled. Ax looked affronted.   
  
I assure you that I held true to your instruction, Prince Jake he said stiffly. Marco came to his defense in the nick of time.  
  
"Oops, sorry Jake. I put two in," he grinned. "I'll teach Ax. It's not like I have anything better to do. I mean, HBO is great, but I've seen the same movie six times to date."  
  
Rachel offered, "I'll help tomorrow. I don't want Ax talking like Marco or someone similarly lame. He needs a balance." Cassie and Tobias had similar suggestions. Ax began melting into his familiar human shape, while Tobias led him outside. Cassie and Marco followed. Only Jake and Rachel were left in the barn.  
  
Jake rubbed his temple, feeling old and weary. Rachel racked her brains with something comforting to say or do, but wound up patting Jake awkwardly on the arm as she examined the worry lines on his forehead. "Things will work out in the end, Jake," she murmured. "They always do."  
  
"I guess," came the return, not sounding entirely convinced. "But there will be one time that they don't - and what if it's now?"  



	4. Meet Me At The Barn

Chapter Three ~ Meet Me At The Barn  
  
Time and place: Cassie's barn, Sunday evening.  
  
Jake wheeled the rusty squeaking bike through the open doors of the barn. He'd left his house with ears burning red and Tom's howls of, "Jake's going to make out with Cassie again, just like yesterday, and the week before, and the week before…" echoing through his mind. At least that sort of thing gave him a cover. If he were going to Marco's… well, they were meant to be dead. He broke himself out of his thoughts and into the sight of Rachel and Marco smiling smugly at him. Something was up (since Marco's always smiling smugly, but Rachel isn't).  
  
"What's up? Did it work? Where's Ax?" were the first words out of his mouth.  
  
"I'm here, Jake," came a new voice from behind him. Jake whirled, and completely lost his composure. His jaw dropped. Standing before him was a stunningly handsome boy (not that Jake's gay or anything) wearing garments that epitomized the definition 'street kid'. Baggy pants, a camouflage tank top and a sawn-off jacket over that. Jake's gaze traveled to Ax's face. He actually had his hair in spikes, and - was that a cigarette?  
  
Ax lifted the cigarette and took a long drag (and the rating goes UP…) and smirked. "What's wrong, Jake? Don't like the look of Darren Smyth?"  
  
Jake found his voice. "What the HELL?!?!" he screeched, directing his anger at Rachel and Marco. "You were supposed to teach him to act like one of us, not some… some… URCHIN!! And who the heck is Darren Smyth?!?!"  
  
Rachel opened her mouth to retaliate in kind, but Ax stepped in. "Calm down, Prince Jake," he soothed, sounding at once much more like his old self. "We aimed for unapproachable. This way, the Visser will not see even a scrap of… potential in me and there will be absolutely no chance that he will deem it worthy for me to be taken."  
  
Marco spoke up. His voice had a hard, cold edge to it and his eyes glinted malevolently as he ticked off points in his individual, bright-clear-line-from-A-to-B mode. "We can't use Philip anymore. That name is sure to be recognised. We were NOT going to risk using something similar to Ax's real name - the Yeerks know it too well. Thus - Darren Smyth. New to town. We even worked out an entire background story, but I won't bore you with the details, oh hostile one. Satisfied now?" He dropped his hands. "Twenty-four hours of work not enough for you?"  
  
Jake was stunned. "I… I didn't know… I didn't think…"  
  
"That's right," Marco snapped. "You didn't."  
  
Cassie spoke up, quiet voice pouring oil on the roiling waves. "Marco, I think Jake understands. And he's sorry. Right, Jake?"  
  
"Right," Jake mumbled. "Sorry, Marco."  
  
Cassie was going on. "We have to stick together, Marco. If we fight amongst ourselves, how are we going to be able to defeat the Yeerks?"  
  
Murmured assent. Ax, looking ashamed, stubbed out the cigarette (it was beginning to burn his fingers) on his jeans (ouch!) and looked startled when a hole appeared.  
  
Rachel and Tobias were silent, perhaps having a private conversation. Then Tobias's voice entered their minds It'll be alright. Nobody lose sleep over this. If something goes wrong, then we'll think of a way out. We always do Rachel, always one for the last word, pumped her fist and hollered, "Let's do it!"  
  
Jake laughed, "Meeting dismissed" as the six of them exited the barn and strode confidently into the sunlight. 


	5. First Day Of School

Chapter Four ~ First Day Of School  
  
The-school-that-the-Animorphs-attend, somewhere in America (we know that much about where they live!!)  
9AM  
  
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Ax managed not to jump as the bell sounded shrilly upon his entrance to the school. He was flanked by Jake and Marco, who were looking extremely nervous. At the door to the classroom, Jake gave Marco a friendly shove and winked. "Here's your big chance, oh wise one. Keep cool and nothing will happen."  
  
"This is Darren Smyth," Marco explained to the teacher. Ax cooly removed a packet of cigarettes from his pocket, lit one and took a drag. He'd chosen to use the same human morph for his role as Darren, with his fair skin setting off his dark brown hair and deep blue eyes. "Darren", naturally was a genetic copy of "Philip", but then again, how many people had actually had a good look at him? Apart from Alison, of course.  
  
The form mistress was not impressed. "Young man, smoking is prohibited on campus," she intoned, wagging a finger in Ax's face. He reacted by dropping the fag on the ground and stomping it out, but pocketed the opened packet. The teacher looked apoplectic.  
  
"Mr Smyth, I am a teacher here and when I give commands I expect them to be obeyed!" she bellowed, leaning across the desk. Ax glanced sideways at Marco, muttered, "Screw you" and simply walked out. As the door swung shut behind him, he was aware of the stunned silence from his classmates-to-be and the irate lady bawling out Marco. He ignored them both. He was beginning to enjoy this cocksure, devil-may-care attitude. Standards were so lax here. If he'd behaved that disgracefully on the home planet, he would have been tailwhipped and chucked into solitary confinement before you could think "Goddamn that Seerow!"  
  
As Ax strolled down the empty corridor with his hands jammed firmly into his pockets, he passed a door. And not just any door, either. Behind the frosted glass the silhouette of Chapman was clear, but - what on earth was that thing beside him? Ax squinted into the panes, absorbed in what appeared to be an Andalite shadow, and failed to notice the man that approached him from behind.  
  
The next thing he knew, he was being hauled into Chapman's office by the scruff of his neck (hey, a pun! Geddit? Next, neck? Oh, never mind..) by a burly male athletics instructor.  
  
"I saw him snooping outside, sir," rumbled the man. "I thought you may have been waiting for him." With that, he spun on his heel and stepped off. Ax glanced surreptitiously around. There was no sign of the Andalite shadow.  
  
"You are Darren Smyth, I believe?" enquired Chapman. "Welcome to [a heavy duty trailer coughing its way down the highway conveniently drowned out his next words] High School. I am your Assistant Principal, Chapman. If you have any problems, I am always available. Here, I want you to strive for excellence, try your hardest to excel in all areas of the academic and athletic fields, and above all," he droned on while Ax yawned widely. "...And remember that you can act just as you did in your old school," he glanced down at the reports lying on the desk, "... on second thoughts, perhaps you would like to reform a little now that you have a fresh start."  
  
Ax walked out of the office with a big grin on his face, leaving Chapman staring disbelievingly at the printed list of suspensions, jail terms, truancy, examination failures et cetera. Courtesy of the Chee, who had arranged a false document to be delivered to Chapman as part of a registration parcel for Darren Smyth. (Hah! I knew there was a reason Ax couldn't back out! But I guess he could have not bothered to go to school in the first place. What person in his right mind would want to go to school instead of watching cable all day??) Phase One completed; Chapman now knew him as a worthless delinquent. All he had to do was wait.  
  
For one hour he'd wandered the school, only stopping to visit the bathroom. He'd worked out that it would be extremely suspicious for Darren Smyth to be seen going to the bathroom every one and a half hours, and he knew that he would have to push it in order to cut down on his visits there. Erek had kindly supplied him with a blueprint of the school building, and as of now he knew every possible bathroom, storage cupboard, and exit on site. It had taken him a mere fifteen minutes to commit the layout to memory. Sometimes, having a superior brain DID come in handy. Demorphing had been tight in the narrow stalls, but the worst was yet to come. As he completed remorphing and was in the process of putting on his clothes (he'd been careful to remove the baggy outer layers to prevent them from being ripped to shreds) the door swung open and another boy walked in.   
  
"Hey, man," grinned the newcomer. "I hear you made quite a stir in the Broad's class this morning. Did she throw you out or something?" he started to laugh. "You should have seen her second period. She was bright red in the face!"  
  
Ax laughed along with him as he casually zipped up his jeans. "No, I walked out. I wasn't stuffed to stay there any longer."  
  
"Well, cool, man. See you round."  
  
*Phew! I have to remember to lock the door next time* Ax thought as he emerged from the bathroom. He searched for Marco, who was currently in… what was it again? Personal Social Human Education? It took him a quarter of an hour before he peered in a door and saw Marco, slouching in his seat and seemingly bored out of his mind.  
  
"…And boys begin to be attracted to girls at the age of fifteen or sixteen, but girls mature much earlier and become interested in boys at fourteen or even younger. I have a specimen of the ideal man coming in soon…" uttered the teacher, but she was interrupted by Ax opening the door and walking in.  
  
The students burst into laughter. The girls were falling over themselves to be the first to reach Ax, who stood rooted to the spot, completely bewildered. He did not have a clue what was going on. Through the melee he could see Marco's smirking face.   
  
"Hi, I'm Sharon," breathed a girl, coming up to him. She was extremely pretty and Ax could see Marco rubbing his hands together gleefully. Behind Marco, he could also witness several girls looking downcast at not getting there in time. Still confused, Ax returned, "I'm Darren."  
  
Marco by this time was making huge gestures and mouthing exaggeratedly, "Ask her for her phone number!"  
  
"Um… could I please have your phone number?" Ax inquired. Sharon nodded eagerly, scribbled something in her notebook, tore it out and handed it to Ax.  
  
"Here," she was saying. "This is my mobile. My home phone is…" she added digits underneath the first. Ax casually took the paper and said "Thanks." On a wave of inspiration he added, "I'll call you."  
  
The bell rang at that moment, signalling the end of class. The PSHE teacher, Miss Oakes, was protesting, "But that's not at all what I meant! I have no idea who this boy is!" Her wails were drowned out by pupils noisily packing their bags and trooping out of the classroom to lunch. Marco fell into step behind Ax.  
  
"What the HELL were you thinking, barging into class like that?! You knew there were only a few minutes left, couldn't you have waited outside?? And wait'll Jake hears about this…"  
  
"But it was entertaining, no?" Ax put in innocently.  
  
Marco couldn't contain himself any longer. He dissolved into spasms of laughter in the middle of the corridor. People walking behind him parted into two streams like a river flowing around a rock. Marco clutched his aching sides and continued guffawing heartily.   
  
"Darren my man, you should have seen the look on the chicks' faces when you walked in. It was like Oakes' speech come true! Wow, if I could attract femmes like that I'd…" he spluttered again. "I will tell Jake. And speaking of the main man himself, here he comes!"  
  
Jake and Cassie were strolling towards the food hall, completely oblivious. "Jake!" Marco hollered, waving his arms frantically. Jake spotted them and made his way over, keeping his arm firmly around Cassie's waist. At that point, Rachel emerged from the growing crowd, joining the group. Marco muttered, "Groupy-group" in Rachel's direction. She took the hint.  
  
"Cassie! Where have you been? You were supposed to meet be outside the physics lab… but I suppose you got carried away with Jake?" she trilled, delighting in making them both blush furiously. She turned to Ax. "Hi, I'm Rachel. I don't believe I know you. Are you new?"  
  
Marco leaned closer to Ax, and in a stage whisper which was audible some metres away, said, "Ask her for her phone number," A gang of boys passing sniggered at this typical Marco remark.  
  
"Yeah, I'm Darren. I just moved from Los Angeles. Could I have your phone number?"  
  
Rachel was in the process of writing it down for him (as if he didn't already have it memorised), when the five were joined by Melissa Chapman. "Hi Rachel, hello Cassie, good morning Jake," she greeted them, nodding around the circle. "And … er… Andrew?"  
  
Chuckles resounded as Marco replied, "Marco."  
  
"Yeah, I knew it was something like that!" Melissa responded brightly. To Ax, "Are you Darren Smyth? I'm Melissa."  
  
Ax shook her hand. "So you're the Melissa I've heard so much about," he glanced slyly at Marco. "Marco tells me that you are one hot babe, and he's right too."  
  
Melissa looked shocked, then pleased. "Thank you. I came to tell you that my father… I mean, Assistant Principal Chapman, would like to talk with you sometime before school ends today. Do you know where his office is?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. No problem."  
  
As she left, Rachel insisted, "Cassie, you have to come with me. I have the coolest poster to show you!" The two girls departed, giggling. Marco and Jake looked at each other, then at Ax. "You alright on your own for a while, Darren? Jake and I have detention with the Broad. You wanna come, or just hang around somewhere?"  
  
Remembering 'the Broad' as she was affectionately known, Ax chose the latter. He made a bathroom stop, then headed for the food hall. His stomach was rumbling, and he wanted a chance to sample the 'Goo of the Day' as Marco put it.   
  
Waiting patiently in line, he found to his dismay that he was standing behind Alison and Brittany. She whirled upon him, seizing her chance. "Here," she murmured huskily, pressing a scrap of pink paper into his hand. "Call me later." A second later, her friend followed suit. Ax stowed both away in the pocket, thinking that at least Marco would appreciate the hoard of girls' phone numbers he was receiving.  
  
Exiting the queue with his tray, Ax was hailed by the same gang that had passed earlier. "Smyth! Hey, Darren! Over here!" He slid his tray into place beside the teenager beckoning to him, and attempted to eat his burger calmly. Stifling his desire to shove the whole thing down his throat and get more, the result was him wolfing down the burger while being assailed with questions from all sides.  
  
"Hey Smyth, where you from?"  
  
"Los Angeles."  
  
"Great! I had a cousin there, his name's Eddie, he plays ice hockey. Know him?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
And so on and so forth. Ax finally got tired of the endless probing, excused himself, and left. While walking towards the main building, he encountered none other than two people he knew - Henry Chapman the Assistant Principal, and Visser Three. 


	6. Suspected Of Murder

Chapter Five ~ Suspected Of Murder  
  
"Good afternoon Darren. May I introduce to you to Victor Trent? His company is one of those that is kindly financing the school's athletics division," Chapman breezed kindly, eyeing Darren without hostility.   
  
*It's all an act* Ax reminded himself. *Nothing but a filthy Yeerk occupying that poor man's head* Out loud he merely said, "Yeah."  
  
Visser Three eyed him severely. "Young man, when your assistant principal is addressing you, I would expect that you would at least make an effort to listen."  
  
This would be all too easy. "Whaffor? He's just another windbag with his head so far up his ass that he wouldn't see 'an effort to listen' even if it bit him."  
  
Both Chapman and Visser Three inhaled sharply, a synchronised sound that almost made Ax laugh out loud. Human mouth-sounds! Their possibilities were unending. As their astonished expressions did not change, Ax wondered if he had overdone it.  
  
Visser Three moved on, seemingly eager to remove himself from the presence of this uncouth, biting youth. Chapman hung back. "Darren, Darren, Darren," he preached, reminding Ax of a similar episode back on the homeworld. "I had hoped that you would make a good impression on your first day. Would it be too much trouble for you to meet me in my office after the break? I'll notify your teacher that you will be absent from class for that period."  
  
Ax nodded testingly. Something didn't seem right, his… what did Marco call it? Spider sense? was tingling. Well, to put it more accurately, alarm bells were screaming in his head. He'd have to find Jake.  
  
The Broad's classroom was deserted. Ax began to panic. Where could they be? In seconds that bell would ring and he'd have to head for Chapman's office… Drat. There went the bell. Ax sighed, dragged his feet and attempted (unsuccessfully) to look nonchalant.  
  
* * * * * * *   
  
"Are you one hundred percent positive that this boy is not an Andalite? The report, and his arrival in the middle of the school year… it's all highly suspicious, Iniss," hissed the Visser threateningly. Chapman actually took a step backwards before composing himself.   
  
"Visser, I feel that we could test him. That is why I have called him to meet me, so that we could test him," stammered Chapman. "If you wish, you could demorph, and we would witness his reaction…"  
  
The Visser cut him off. "No. If he is not indeed an Andalite bandit, then we would have to take him nonetheless to preserve our secret. And there is only one free Yeerk at this moment, a sub-Visser awaiting the infestation of a White House member. We cannot waste his potential on this trash."  
  
There was a brief silence. Chapman offered, "Visser, we could hold him here for two hours. If he does not demorph within that time, we would know he is not a bandit. No true Andalite would surrender their form to live as a human."  
  
"That is an intriguing plan. It should work. Well done, Iniss. Perhaps, if this succeeds, I will consider a promotion for you. Sub-Visser Hundred and Four has recently proven himself to be a treacherous coward. You would be a worthy candidate for his vacated position."  
  
Visser Three laughed eerily as he walked out of the room. "I will join you shortly, Iniss. I certainly would not want to be trapped in morph!"  
  
* * * * * * *   
  
Ax made a bathroom stop before knocking on Chapman's door. No telling how lengthy a lecture would be. His friend Darft had actually managed to fall asleep during one such talk, earning himself extra work. Ax had laughed until his head hurt.  
  
"Come in," called Chapman. Ax came.  
  
"Ah, Darren, welcome. Would you like to visit the bathroom before we begin? I have quite a number of things to say and I would prefer it if we were not interrupted by such trivial matters."  
  
"I just went," replied a startled Ax, worrying. He didn't suspect, did he??  
  
Chapman droned on for around fifteen minutes, while Ax smoked. The assistant principal was making a valiant effort to ignore Ax's actions, but eventually his nerve snapped.  
  
"We DO NOT smoke in school!! This is a NON SMOKING CAMPUS!!" he bellowed, leaning across the table and snatching the cigarette out from between Ax's fingers. Ax promptly rolled his eyes. Chapman fretted about whether he could indeed tolerate even another ten minutes of Darren Smyth. Ax's performance so far was succeeding in erasing any of Chapman's doubts as to the authenticity of Darren.  
  
"And so, Darren, you must understand that this is a school with high morals, standards and…" he launched wholeheartedly back into his speech, wincing slightly as the fag burned into his fingers. He'd forgotten to let go of it.  
  
A further twenty minutes passed. Chapman was now extracting a few sheets of paper from his desk. "Darren, I am sure that you have sufficient brainpower to at least pass the SAT's, and I am curious to the cause of your attitude."  
  
Ax looked blankly at the printed scripts in front of him, and barely prevented himself from shouting out loud as he realised what they were. A (stolen, of course) diagrammatic explanation of the internal mechanics of a Bug Fighter. Underneath were lines, and a question: Summarise what makes this machine fly.  
  
Ax plopped his feet up on the desk, tilted the paper into his lap, and with the pen Chapman had handed him, scribbled a couple of sentences onto the writing space. He then handed the paper back to Chapman, and waited with glee for the explosion.  
  
Chapman scrutinised the almost-illegible handwriting. 'Cool spayship,' he read. 'Sci-fi freak or sumthin? I'm not doin no fucken essay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'  
  
Regarding Ax over the top of the sheet and sighing with exasperation, Chapman ordered, "Well Darren, I suppose we will both have to put up with each other for maybe another hour, until you feel that you have something to say in the way of an apology and a promise to reform. That is my final word."  
  
They sat, Chapman grading some essays about the Industrial Revolution, and Ax steadily working his way through the pack of cigarettes. Being unused to them, he was beginning to feel a headache of massive proportions building up in his skull. He ignored it and kept going.  
  
Minutes ticked by. It had now been over an hour and a half since Ax had morphed. He pondered his choices while starting on the last tube in the packet. Ask to go to the bathroom? No… that would blow his cover. Ax was certain that Chapman was trying to force him to demorph or something, to prove that he was an Andalite. Ax steeled himself. It would have to be close. But the bell was due in about thirty minutes, and he also knew that Chapman was not allowed to make him stay any longer than the school day.  
  
Chapman must have sensed his feelings, because he wound up and let loose with yet another sentimental speech. "Darren, I really, honestly want the best for you, but I don't understand why you have to be so stubborn. Why did you come to this school if not to learn? Darren? Are you listening?"  
  
At the moment Melissa poked her head around the door. "Daddy? Mr Russell wants to meet Darren. He was supposed to have Biology after lunch, I informed him that you wished to talk with Darren, but he still would like to have a word. Daddy?"  
  
Chapman came out of his reverie. "Sweetie, run along and tell Mr Russell that Darren will visit him tomorrow. Thanks for the message."  
  
Melissa left. Ax was despairing. He had nine minutes until he would be trapped in morph; the bell would not ring until double that. Chapman began his speech again, and was only interrupted by Rachel's knock.  
  
"What?" Chapman fairly growled, opening the door for her. Rachel was taken aback. "I just heard that Darren was with you, sir." She looked at Ax with a plaintive face. "You said you'd walk me home. You didn't forget, did you?"  
  
"Rachel…" started both Ax and Chapman.  
  
She gave him the puppy-dog eye treatment. "You PROMISED. And we have to leave soon or I'll be VERY LATE. And I told you before that my parents will get angry and GROUND ME FOREVER if I'm late once more."  
  
The message was clear. Ax gave Chapman what he hoped was a gallant smile, and said, "Could I go, sir? I have to see this lady home."  
  
Chapman looked about to burst. "Rachel, wait outside until I have finished. Darren, just slightly longer."  
  
Ax glanced up at the clock, although he did not need to. It simply confirmed one grim fact: that he had slightly under six minutes until he would be trapped as a human. Forever.  



	7. Sentenced For Life

Chapter Six ~ Sentenced To Life  
  
Outside Chapman's office, Jake, Marco and Rachel were waiting anxiously. Jake fretted, "Is he ever coming out?" while Marco, in his typical harsh way, stated flatly, "Chapman's a bastard. I think he suspects something."  
  
Rachel murmured assent. They waited and watched as seconds ticked by. In the not-too-distant foreground, Victor Trent began his steady pacing towards the door of the office.  
  
"I think the ol' spider sense should be screaming right about now…" Marco, of course.  
  
Rachel was alert. "I say we bust in and rescue him!" But she was batten down by the others. "No way, it'll be waaaaaaay too obvious. The last thing we need is a connection between us and the Andalite bandits."  
  
Her temper flared up. "And the second-last thing we need is Ax trapped in morph!"  
  
Jake tried hard to soothe. "Rach, we'll help him out. Things will work out in the end. You said that, didn't you?"  
  
"Hmph. And SOMEONE so confidently decided 'but there will be one time that they don't, and what if it's now?' Remember, Jake?"  
  
They waited.  
  
Inside Chapman's office…  
  
"Why good afternoon Mr. Trent, what a surprise to see you here."  
  
Ax stared, and hastily shoved his eyeballs back into their sockets in case Visser Three noticed his reaction. Visser Three, coming to see Chapman? What coincidental timing. He cleared his throat.  
  
"Can I go? I mean, I figure you want to talk to the bigwig guy, so…" he let his words trail off belligerently as two pairs of eyes came to rest on him.  
  
Visser Three smiled, a sideways stretch of the mouth that didn't quite seem to reach his eyes. "No matter. Chapman, I'll wait in here while you straighten things out." He seated himself in front of the Assistant Principal's desk, stretching his legs comfortably. All the while his gaze did not waver from Ax.  
  
Four minutes.  
  
Ax exploded. "What is WRONG with you people?? It's a free country!! I can leave if I want!!" he strode over to the door and slammed his hand down on the handle. It didn't budge. Feeling more than slightly panicky, he tried again. Nada.  
  
Chapman tauntingly dangled a brass key on a chain. "Ah, Darren, it might be advantageous if you learned some patience while you still can. You will stay here until I say you may leave."  
  
Three and a half minutes.  
  
Ax felt his insides freeze, then instantaneously heat up until he was sure he would combust from within. But he did not allow a trace of this to show through as facial emotion. He took a step away from the door, slowly, making his voice absolutely cool. "Fine. I'll play your game. Try me." He leaned back against the cold pine frame of the door; the thin barrier was all that was between him and freedom. Two inches of wood was two inches too much. Crossed his ankles casually. Waited.  
  
A flicker of doubt spasmed across Chapman's face. Guardedly glanced at Visser Three, who remained dispassionate. With a mere twitch of his head - a movement so slight that Ax would have missed it if he had not been looking for it - the Yeerk general signaled his acolyte to remain in position. The room was tensely silent, the only sound being the rattling passage of vehicles outside. But much, much louder, was the plastic, mass-produced, dollar-a-dozen clock on the wall. Ticking relentlessly.  
  
Two minutes.  
  
Ax sighed noisily, but his mind was in turmoil. Could he escape? Logic said yes - if he demorphed right now and busted out of the office. Yet he knew - and it wasn't a gut reaction, nor a feeling from any of his hearts. It was an empathy derived from his essence, his very being. If he paid no heed, then he might as well not live.  
  
One and a half minutes.  
  
He couldn't demorph. What was saving himself compared with betraying his friends, his true kin? They were even closer to him than his family now. How could he extinguish their hope, just for his own selfish desires? The six of them made up the resistance. If he gave them away, it was likely that Earth, too, would fall to the Yeerks. He would not, no, he *could* not allow that to happen.  
  
One minute.  
  
Any decent Andalite warrior would commit suicide on his own tail blade to avoid being captured. Was this the same? Giving up life as an Andalite? No, something whispered. You are an Andalite from the way you think and act, not by your form. You are Andalite. You will always be Andalite.  
  
But lately, haven't I been acting and thinking more human than Andalite? he asked. There was no answer.  
  
Thirty seconds.  
  
Ax folded his arms, crossed his ankles the other way, and waited some more.  
  
Chapman started talking again, seeming much less together now, clearly unhinged by Ax's manner. "Darren, I hope you have learnt something from this. I'm sorry that you had to experience the stricter side of the school disciplinary system on your first day here, but I am confident that you understand why we had to do this. Now, the bell is due shortly, and if you will exercise your newfound patience, I will allow you to leave."  
  
Ax bowed his head. "You are too kind, sir," he mocked, dripping sarcasm with every syllable. Chapman looked put out. Ax couldn't possibly have cared less.  
  
Five seconds.  
  
Ax didn't say another word for the next ten minutes. He didn't trust himself not to collapse on the floor and cry like a child. Chapman ceremoniously unlocked the door, gesturing widely for Ax to leave. Sweeping a disdainful look at the Visser who had completely lost interest in him now, he held his head high and stalked out.   
  
Rachel met him at the edge of the compound.  
  
"Ax… go! We found an empty shed two hundred metres from here. Run towards Marco, see?" she pointed at Marco, waving frantically from behind a wall. Ax stood immobile.  
  
"Didn't you hear what I said?? Go!! Move it!!"  
  
Ax reached inside his consciousness for the familiar feeling of demorphing. Touched only emptiness. Turned to Rachel, who was still gesticulating madly. "I can't."  
  
She froze in mid-tirade. "You can't what?!?" she snapped. "Don't be a baby, two hundred metres is not far … And I know what you mean, you're saying you're trapped in morph." The reality of it sank in. "Oh my God" then she added some cuss words and a very graphic fantasy of what she would do to Chapman and Visser Three if she ever caught them.  
  
Ax said nothing. And Rachel, calming down enough to look at him, realised that she'd been somewhat insensitive.  
  
"Come here," she said awkwardly, and opened her arms.  
  
He flung himself into them like they were some sort of sanctuary, and by doing so he could escape from his fate. His arms tightened around her as he pressed his face into her hair. She patted him gingerly on the back; although he was taller than her he somehow seemed smaller, and more vulnerable. As if the fight had gone out of him.  
  
He could cry now, outside the laser gaze of Visser Three and Chapman's continuous scrutiny. But the tears wouldn't come. He simply clung on to Rachel like a hurt child, while Jake and Marco emerged from the shed and walked towards the pair of them.  
  
Ax, sheepish, released his death grip around Rachel's shoulders at their approach. Jake was pale. "You're stuck, aren't you?" was his carefully neutral comment. Ax nodded.  
  
Marco opened his mouth. "C'mon, Ax-man, it isn't all that bad being a human." Before Rachel could rebuke him, he added hastily, "I mean, think about it! One of your objects in life is now to eat! Yeah? Taste? Tuh-aste?" Hopefully lame.  
  
Ax said nothing. Rachel bit her lip. "Come on, I think we'd better get you someplace safe."  
  
They walked to the first place they thought of. Everyone tried to make conversation with Ax. Tried too hard. Ax answered dully, forcing himself to be polite even though his feet were to be made of lead and his one heart seemed to have lost interest in beating. They reached the front doorstep and knocked on the door. It was opened by a boy who must have been the same age as the four nowhere-near-average teenagers on the porch. He, too, was pretty far off the chart of normalcy.  
  
"Welcome, Darren," said Erek. 


	8. Epilogue

Epilogue  
  
(Ax's POV)  
  
I was in a room, all alone. Alone? No, there was something in a corner, something large and awe-inspiring. I took a step closer, and realised that I was in human morph. Strange, I pondered. What is the meaning of this dream?  
  
But while I took a step closer to the thing-in-the-corner, a felling stirred inside me. Hadn't I already seen this before? Human morph? I *am* human now.  
  
Aren't I?  
  
Another step. And another. The thing turned. But unlike the first time I had witnessed it, it did not possess a blood red eye. Instead, it was a mist. Which spoke to me.  
  
AXIMILI-ESGARROUTH-ISTHILL, the voice began, soundless words reverberating inside my head, implanting themselves deep within my memory. YOU HAVE CHOSEN WELL.  
  
Ellimist, I realised, and dropping to my knees was a reflexive instinct. Ellimist laughed. A shape began forming in the mist, solidifying rapidly until it formed the shape of an Andalite. Young, but with all innocence lost. An Andalite that had given up much to further a greater cause.  
  
"That's me, isn't it?" I hadn't noticed that I was speaking until my own voice reached my ears. No longer cocksure and jaunty; with a tremor in it. I fought down my emotions and kept talking. "Or it was me. I used to be like that. Why are you showing me this?"  
  
He ignored me. Instead drew his hand back and flung an object at me. I caught it, and looked at the thing I now held in my hand.   
  
It was a necklace, thin cord threaded with disc-shaped beads (which on closer inspection proved to be melon seeds) bearing a pendant. I tested the edge with my thumb. It was sharp, which reinforced the possibility of it being a shark's tooth. Yet no shark bore teeth shaped like this. The milky-white tooth was about two inches long, but could not have been more than a finger-width at the base. Predominantly flat, it tapered to a point. Curiouser and curiouser… I looked up. The Ellimist was waiting patiently, but now he had taken on a different shape. An image of my brother stood before me.  
  
"You're not real," I forced the words up past the blockade in my throat. "You're the Ellimist. My brother is dead." I paused for breath. "Why are you doing this to me?"  
  
THERE ARE MANY LESSONS TO BE LEARNT, ANDALITE, boomed the Ellimist. CONSIDER THIS ONE OF MANY.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
"Ow!" something whacked me hard in the back of the head, bringing me back to reality. I jumped up.  
  
"Well, thanks for getting off me, although if you really wanted to sleep on the floor, I would have let you, you know." Erek sounded ticked off.   
  
"What?" I asked stupidly.  
  
"Well, let's see. It's three in the morning, we have school tomorrow, you need sleep even if I don't, and you just fell off the bed, woke me up and crushed my trachea."  
  
I snorted in the dark. "Bull. You're an android. You don't *have* a windpipe."  
  
The reality of the scene was refreshing. I was me, still in human morph - although I shouldn't think of it as a morph, I reminded myself - and at Erek's house until I found a place to stay. I was in his room, since they didn't have a spare, and he was sleeping on the floor, having insisted that I take the bed. And I'd only been a nothlit for, what? Less than 12 hours?  
  
It was kind of pathetic, really, once you got past the freakout value. Two teenage boys who weren't really teenage boys, both living under false names. Come to think of it, I didn't even *know* Erek's Chee name. I opened my mouth.  
  
"And you don't sleep. I repeat: you're an android. You were probably wide awake, drawing a graph of my heart rate and blood pressure!" I teased.  
  
Erek clicked the light switch and allowed himself a small smile. "Pipe down. Do you want to wake my dad?" he winked. "Hey, at heart I'm a normal adolescent human male."  
  
"Yeah, sure. And I'm Visser Three."  
  
He considered this. "Alright, so not quite normal as… paranormal. Right. Do you want me to turn the light off so we can go back to sleep?" I nodded and he got up off the bed. Click. The room plunged back into calming darkness.  
  
I stifled a yawn. "Goodnight, Erek."  
  
"Goodnight, Ax."  
  
I was about to get back into bed when he interceded, "And for your information, I do sleep. It recharges my batteries."  
  
I grinned to myself and slid under the blankets.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"What is it this time?"  
  
"Nothing!" I gingerly reached for the thing that had poked me. Located it. Pulled it towards me.   
  
It was the necklace. The 'tooth' was glowing faintly, a sort of moonlit hue, flickering from blue to purple to yellow and gold. It was real? But, it was part of my dream… wasn't it?  
  
I stuffed it under my pillow. I'd think about it in the morning. Tomorrow was a new day, my first day of life as a human. A fresh start.  
  
I thought about Erek, and how he was likely to become a brother to me. He'd be there for me, like Elfangor always was. What would be in store for me? For the Animorphs? For the rest of humanity?  
  
I couldn't think any more. My mind was feeling fuzzy and I could feel myself irrevocably dropping off to sleep. I'd think tomorrow. There would be plenty of time then.  
  
And there would always be tomorrows after that.  
  
  
--thend--  
  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Animorphs and all related persons, places, and inanimate objects belong to K.A. Applegate. (According to the copyright information, they are completely fictional and therefore aliens do not exist) A number of things in this story "belong" to me, but others are based on real people, places, etc and therefore belong to their respective base people et al. Use your discretion.  
  
There, I think I've covered everything.  
  
There is a sequel to this. To read it, click on the author's name (Sera) and in the list of stories I've written it's the only other Animorphs fic.  
  
Keep rocking, and (this is cheesy so I _have_ to say it) have a nice day! 


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